EnderGuards: Protectors of Minecraftia
by X1Mobius
Summary: Envious of Notch's creation of the Steves, his brother Herobrine sought to destroy them with his own evils. A terrible war was waged, Herobrine was defeated, and his final evil, an incredibly powerful dragon, was banished to a realm known as "The End". Select Steves, known as The EnderGuards, have been charged with the protection of this realm, but an ancient evil is awakening...
1. Minecraftia: A New Beginning

_Hola, chicos y chicas! This is my first attempt at a FanFiction story, and I don't know how well it will be received, or even if it will be noticed at all, but I figured I'd try. Consequently, to anyone reading this: thank you! _

_What you're about to read is a Minecraft-based adventure story. I have altered several details of Minecraft's storyline, physics, etc. in order to make the story flow more smoothly, so please bear with me as I warp and alter Minecraft a little. Comments and constructive feedback are __**always **__appreciated, and if anyone bothers to read this and likes it, I'll gladly continue the story. Thanks!_

-_Mobius_

* * *

This tale begins in the earliest era of Minecraftia, long beyond the memory of even the oldest Steve alive. In the beginning, the mighty deity known as Notch created a vast, blocky world and its population was race of people known as "Steves". To provide for the needs of the newly created beings, the almighty Notch sowed the world, which came to be known as "Minecraftia", with plants and animals, with which the Steves learned to sustain themselves. The powerful deity created pigs and cows; fish and chickens; wolves and sheep, and in these animals the Steves found food and armor; clothing and beds; and with the wolves, companionship. In the land, Notch scattered metals and minerals such as iron, gold, and the rare diamond, with which the Steves created weapons, tools, and better armor, and the land itself he cast in many forms; snow and desert, forest and plains, jungle and ocean, and these became known as "biomes". Thus the world of Minecraftia began, and for a time, peace reigned over the lands as the Steves flourished with the gifts of the benevolent Notch, but ere long a great evil began to creep over the world. For the great Notch had a brother, as wicked as Notch was kind, and he was known as Herobrine.

Herobrine could not match the creations of his brother, and each being he created was an evil, pitiful mockery of Notch's work, and for this he envied and despised his brother. Herobrine's replica of the Steves were warped beings, black as pitch and taller than any Steve, his creation meant to be a pig was a green, exploding creature that could creep silently on four short legs, and his version of the fish was a small spiny reptile that made its home within stone blocks and attacked in swarms any who disturbed it. Resentful Notch and his perfect creations and angered by his own failures, Herobrine again tried to create his own Steves, this time using the deceased bodies of Notch's own creations and trying to force life back into them using dark, terrible enchantments. The results were abominations; reanimated bodies of dead Steves, and skeletal figures armed with bows that sought only to hunt and kill their living counterparts, driven by Herobrine's malice. Consumed by jealousy and hatred for his brother, and infuriated by his failure to match Notch's creations, Herobrine unleashed his aberrations upon Minecraftia, seeking to destroy the Steves, the source of his embarrassment and anger. Fighting for their lives against the hordes of evil creatures, the Steves waged a terrible battle against Herobrine's forces for many years, locked in a deadly struggle that would decide the fate of Minecraftia for the ages to follow. The struggle was long and vicious, but the Steves, empowered by the righteous might of the all-powerful Notch, at last began to steadily defeat the demented, evil deity's army, until at last nearly all of Herobrine's creations were destroyed and the malicious brother of Notch found himself on the verge of defeat. Enraged, and desperate to deny his brother victory, Herobrine created one final evil to set upon Minecraftia. Drawing blackness from The Void itself, Herobrine imbued it with souls of Steves he himself had slain and cast terrible enchantments over it, enchantments long since lost in the tides of time.

This last monstrosity, created from the utter emptiness of The Void and infused with the eternally suffering souls of Notch's Steves, took the from of a mighty dragon, blacker than pitch and possessed of smoldering purple eyes; fueled by the essence of Notch's own greatest creation, this monster was far more powerful than any creature in existence and Herobrine prepared to unleash it upon the race of Steves as his final act of spite against his brother. Learning of his sibling's plan, Notch rushed to stop him, knowing the creature would massacre his creations without mercy. He reached Herobrine just as the demented deity began to release the dragon and the two engaged in a final battle, struggling for control of Minecraftia. As the battle reached its end, Notch struck down Herobrine and lifted his blade, preparing to put an end to the evil that plagued Minecraftia. At the last, however, Notch took pity upon his brother, realizing that Herobrine's evil stemmed from the acidic envy he, Notch, had caused in his sibling. Sparing Herobrine's life, Notch instead banished him to the Nether, a hellish realm and the polar opposite of Minecraftia's bright Overworld. With the threat of Herobrine's evil gone, Notch turned his focus to the dragon-formed abomination his brother had created. The creature was far too powerful to destroy, so Notch gathered about him the greatest warriors and enchanters of the Steves, and together they created a new realm within The Void itself and imprisoned the dragon inside this bleak, barren world, known as The End.

To ensure that this terrible evil could not be released, they created three separate portals, widely spread across Minecraftia, buried them deep within the ground, and built formidable Strongholds around them; to open a gateway to the dragon's realm, it was necessary to activate each of the three portals. As an extra safeguard, Notch and his chosen compatriots, who became known as the EnderGuards constructed an enormous city between the trio of Strongholds, and its citizens were charged with the protection of the portals. In time, this city became known as The Citadel, and it was a beacon of hope for all of Minecraftia, a promise that history would not repeat; that the Steves would stand strong together against any evil, any threat, and overcome it, and that they were beloved by Notch. Any Steve who wished to was welcome to join The Citadel, but only those who were chosen, who displayed great prowess in battle, leadership, and loyalty were inducted into the EnderGuards and permitted to enter the Strongholds and behold the portals. These Steves were the fighting force of the Citadel; highly trained and loyal to their cause, they had not been defeated in all the time since the construction of The Citadel, and the rumor was that they were protected by Notch himself. This tale begins with one of the Citadel's many detachments of EnderGuards; a platoon of eight Steves who would, in time, become the saviors of Minecraftia as an ancient evil began to stir again, threatening to engulf their world forever.


	2. Aeries Company

_Hola, chicos y chicas! Here is Chapter 2 of __EnderGuards: Protectors of Minecraftia_, _so please enjoy! Like I said, this is my first FanFic, so I'm not really sure of what I'm doing most of the time, so thanks for being patient with me!_

_In this chapter we switch tones a bit; the past tense "old-time story" tone is dropped, and we now adopt the narrative style common to most stories as Aeries Company is introduced._

_What you're about to read is a Minecraft-based adventure story. I have altered several details of Minecraft's storyline, physics, etc. in order to make the story flow more smoothly, so please bear with me as I warp and alter Minecraft a little. Comments and constructive feedback are __**always **__appreciated, and if anyone bothers to read this and likes it, I'll gladly continue the story. Thanks! __-Mobius_

* * *

The iron sword clove the air, arcing quickly toward its target's head, but before it could connect it was met in midair by a deep-golden blade, abruptly stopping it short with a jarring crash. Giving a twist of his arm, the owner of the golden sword forced his opponent's blade down, and the wielder of the iron weapon jumped back quickly, letting out a startled yelp as the sharp yellow blade whipped past his torso, scratching his iron armor as it passed. Pressing his advantage, the gold-armored soldier advanced on his adversary, striking quickly and powerfully, methodically battering down the hapless combatant's defenses until, with a final strike, the iron sword clattered across the glowstone-studded cobblestone floor. Weaponless, the erstwhile wielder of the iron blade stood stunned as his gold-clad opponent whipped his sword up to his throat and held it poised. Silence filled the room for a moment, and then the gold-armored Steve lowered his weapon and stepped back, surveying his sheepish adversary analytically.

"Not bad, Palermo, but remember: don't give ground. If you have to move in a fight, move sideways—or better yet move forward—but _don't move backward_! Backing up allows your enemy to control the fight; he has more power behind his strikes because he's moving naturally while you're awkwardly hopping backwards, he can see where he's going while you can't, and most importantly, he has the psychological advantage, since he's advancing while you retreat. In general, backing up will almost certainly lose you the fight, so don't do it! Got it? Good!"

The gold-armored Steve said all of this very quickly, and the still somewhat dazed Jonathan Palermo nodded absently as he retrieved his sword; Lieutenant Branche's rapid-fire method of speaking always gave him a headache, and it didn't help that the Lieutenant seemed to favor a "beating-the-hell-out-of-them-is-the-best-way-to-make-them-learn" teaching method.

"Alright, who's next?" Lieutenant Branche queried energetically, looking eagerly at the remaining five Steves sitting on the benches. The quintet looked at each other dubiously, none of them particularly eager to have a sparring session with the gold-armored Lieutenant. They were EnderGuards, members of the most elite fighting force in Minecraftia, charged with the protection of the famed Citadel and the three Strongholds, and they knew no fear on the field of battle, but still, none of them relished the prospect of fencing with the somewhat crazy Lieutenant.

"Come on, come on, who's up for some training?" Branche repeated, grinning slightly and raising his blade. "How about you, MacKimson?"

The reclining Steve in question glanced up, startled at his officer's unexpected request, and beside him his tamed wolf pricked up his ears and sat up, peering intently between his master and the Lieutenant.

"Ah, well, I don't…oh, all right," the rather introverted MacKimson stuttered, knowing that to refuse would be unwise. Reluctantly, he drew his blade and trudged into the arena. As the Steve departed, the dog stretched, yawned, and prepared to follow his master into the ring, giving a soft "Woof!", but Rey MacKimson, realizing his mistake, turned and firmly ordered him to sit. Grumbling, the tamed wolf sat down again, dropping his head onto his paws as he surveyed the ring. Taking positions across from each other, Branche and MacKimson readied their blades, their eyes locked on each other as they awaited the start signal. The noteblock sounded, and the two Steves began circling each other warily.

His sword recovered, Jonathan Palermo took his seat on the bench, watching the battle. He was new to this regiment; new to the EnderGuards in general, in fact, and most of his new comrades had been fighting alongside each other for years, making him the odd Steve out. While they had made him feel welcome, he knew they still considered him "The Newbie", which was why Lieutenant Branche had made him spar first, and he was determined to learn from them, and gain their genuine respect. MacKimson and Branche's match seemed disorganized and chaotic, much as the others had assured him the battlefield was, but as he watched he began to notice a distinctive pattern. The Lieutenant's fighting style seemed to consist largely of reliance on armor and very up-close melee fighting, pressing aggressively into the fray, while MacKimson's method was the polar opposite; the introvert with the dog had a habit of dodging and blocking each strike, returning blows only when he saw an opportune opening. It was a classic match of strategy against raw power, and Palermo wondered what the Captain would think of the fight between the Lieutenant and the Ranger/Pathfinder. Jonathan had barely met the Captain, but he had trained under him long enough to know that the Steve favored both methods of warfare on the field of battle; Tactical, stealthy strategy to get close to the enemy, then pure, determined power added to the cunning to overpower and outsmart one's foes. The combination had won many battles for the Captain and his regiment of EnderGuards, known as "Aeries Company", and Jonathan Palermo was proud to be serving under him.

Totally intent upon the fight and his own ruminations, Jonathan did not notice as an eighth Steve stepped quietly into the training area. Clad in pale-blue diamond armor, the newcomer held himself with an authoritative bearing and looked every bit the respectable military type, but as he witnessed the sparring match being waged, he leaned casually against a cobblestone pillar and munched on some bread as he watched Lieutenant Branche and Sergeant MacKimson continue their fight. Despite the Steve's nonchalant attitude, however, Sergeant Rae Caceres, the company's bow expert, noticed him enter and abruptly shot to her feet, her iron armor glinting as she stood at attention, saluted smartly, and yelled

"Aeries Company, Captain on deck! Atten-HUT!"

The effect on the rest of Aeries Company was immediate; the three iron clad Steves still sitting on the oak wood stairs that served as benches also sprang to their feet, snapping to attention as they saluted the diamond-armored Steve, and the two combatants in the arena instantly sheathed their weapons and followed suit, MacKimson dropping his in his haste, causing Branche to scowl at him. Caught off-guard by the sudden appearance of his captain and the flurry of activity, Jonathan Palermo was a moment behind everyone else as he leapt up and saluted, and the lag was quite obvious, earning him a glare from the Lieutenant, as well.

"_Great,_" he thought, "_another 'Newbie' move…and in front of the Captain, too!_"

Surveying the saluting Steves bemusedly, Captain Jack Kolya stepped into the torchlight, returning the salute so his regiment could relax. His gaze swept across each of them, lingering for a moment upon the apprehensive Palermo, before he glanced at the bow expert with a somewhat exasperated air.

"Caceres, how often have I told you that's not necessary?"

Rae Caceres grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, sir. EnderGuard protocol, you know."

The Captain snorted. "Right. Well, I have some good news: we're going out on assignment."

There were several exclamations of surprise and excitement as Aries Company absorbed the news.

"What! Really? Where?!" shouted Yenix Sullivan, tapping his iron axe against the oak-wood bench. Sullivan was a rather combative Steve, preferring an axe over the conventional sword, and he was constantly jumpy and excitable, making him something of a terror on the field of battle. Captain Kolya observed the uproar with an arched eyebrow, waiting until his regiment calmed down before he continued.

"Well, apparently the Citadel has done its job. If Minecraftia is so safe that a simple routine assignment causes this much excitement, then perhaps we EnderGuards are becoming redundant." The other seven Steves calmed down considerably, looking somewhat shamefaced. The Captain chuckled and continued, "At any rate, this _is_ a routine assignment; a small, quiet village in the nearby Plains Biome has had some of its citizens disappear while mining, and they can't find any trace of them. Steves are continuing to disappear, so they sent a pig-rider to the Citadel, asking for some help, and we're being sent to investigate. Any questions?"

A somewhat gangly Steve near the rear straightened up and called across the room, "Captain, am I likely to need to carry any splash potions?" His name was Martin Fletcher, and he was Aeries Company's medic.

"We're not too likely to encounter much combat, so I doubt it, but it couldn't hurt," replied Jack Kolya, "Maybe three each of Healing, Regeneration, and Harming."

Fletcher nodded somberly; splash potions of Harming were expensive to make, and he hoped he wouldn't need to use any in combat on this trip. Captain Kolya looked around the room again, a raised hand catching his eye. He nodded at its owner, giving him permission to speak. A short, stocky Steve stepped forward, looking at his commanding officer with barely contained glee.

"Captain…you mentioned mining?"

Kolya nodded at his Demolition and Tunneling expert. "That's right. The Steves disappeared in the village's mine."

"So…will we need TNT?"

Kolya's expression grew concerned. "That mine is the village's livelihood, Graham. We don't want to destroy it. Still, I suppose a little firepower is never amiss."

Graham Yaltor nodded, slightly disappointed, as he began to take mental inventory of his redstone and pickaxe supply.

Frowning slightly at Yaltor for a moment longer, Kolya gazed once more at his regiment. "Anything else? No? All right, then; we depart at sunrise tomorrow. Form up at the Citadel's Main Gate after breakfast. You should probably get your gear ready, everyone. Good night." Turning, The Captain exited the training chamber, followed quickly by Branche as the second-in-command hurried to catch up to the diamond-armored Steve. As the rest of the regiment straggled out, Jonathan Palermo walked slowly to the door, lost in thought. This would be his first mission with Aeries Company…and he was as nervous as if he were venturing alone into the Nether; he had never been in combat before. "_Stop it,_" he thought "_the Captain said that we're not likely to encounter combat. And even if we do, everyone else has been in hundreds of fights. They'll know what to do. Besides, this could be my chance to prove that I'm not a 'Newbie'! If I handle myself well, maybe they'll really accept me as a real part of the regiment._" His mind filled with alternatively terrified and hopeful thoughts, Jonathan Palermo flicked a lever, shutting off the glowstone lamps, and left the training room to prepare for his first mission.


	3. The Village and the Villains

_Hola, chicos y chicas! I do apologize for the unreasonably long time between the last chapter and this one, but my schoolwork load prior to, during, and after Spring Break was nuts, and I had regular homework, and 4-H events, and marching band events, and AP (Advanced Placement) English Testing, and, and, and…_

_Anyway, here is chapter three of _EnderGuards: Protectors of Minecraftia_, and I do sincerely hope you enjoy it. Reviews are __**ALWAYS **__appreciated, of course! Until next time, farewell._

_-_Mobius

* * *

The six iron armored Steves of Aeries Company stood at the Main Gate of the Citadel, awaiting Captain Kolya and Lieutenant Branche. Despite their attitudes of nonchalance and repose, there was an underlying current of excitement in the atmosphere; going out on assignment was rare in these days of peace, and even such a routine, menial mission as theirs was a golden opportunity to get out and about and possibly exercise their combat skills. Standing near one end of the portcullis, Jonathan Palermo surreptitiously surveyed the rest of Aeries Company, envying their calm, cool attitudes. Sergeant Rae Caceres stood at the far end of the Entrance Hall, testing the pull of her shimmering enchanted bow and examining her hefty stock of arrows in the dual quivers. Jonathan gazed at her weapon in fascination; the powerfully enchanted bow was capable of launching projectiles with greater power than most any other in the Citadel, dealing grievous damage to any enemy unlucky enough to be hit. Across from her, sorting worriedly through his potions, was Sergeant Martin Fletcher, the company medic. Watching him, Jonathan couldn't help but smile: the medically oriented Steve seemed to be permanently concerned or anxious, and his quick, jumpy movements reminded the new soldier of one of the chickens that wandered the Citadel's grounds. As he contemplated the medic, a soft clanging noise caught Jonathan's attention, and he shifted position slightly, peering at the other end of the iron portcullis where Sergeant Rey MacKimson was practicing swordsmanship. Wielding his iron sword, the Ranger/Pathfinder stabbed it rapidly between the gate's iron bars, as though fighting an invisible enemy, tapping each bar gently with the flat of the sword as he retracted the strike, the gleaming blade flickering ghostlike in the sunlight as it sliced through the air. Mesmerized by the Steve's skill and precision, Palermo watched in avid fascination until

a sudden bark abruptly shattered the silence of the hall, causing everyone to jump, hands flying automatically to their weapons as they whipped around to face the source of the noise.

Sergeant Rey MacKimson's tamed wolf, Maugrim, snoozing in the sun, had caught sight of a sheep ambling by and immediately shot to his feet, barking challengingly at the passing animal. Pausing in its grazing, the sheep glanced lazily up at the bristling dog barking at it from the other side of the portcullis. Gazing contemplatively at the sturdy iron bars and then back at the wolf, the sheep snorted dismissively and gave a contemptuous "Baa!" before hopping away, and the indignant dog barked and snarled furiously after the departing animal, baying his frustration amid gales of laughter from Aeries Company. Looking slightly embarrassed, MacKimson stopped fencing with the portcullis and called the somewhat sheepish dog over to him.

"Sit down, ya noodle…" he muttered "You don't need to go after each sheep you see; you're gonna start to cut off the Citadel's wool supply."

"That lazy dog couldn't catch a sheep anyway," called out Yenix Sullivan, "I've never seen him move faster than a waddle!

Rey MacKimson scowled at the axe fighter resentfully as he sat the dog down near the portcullis. "Look who's talking," he called back. "A bit hypocritical, aren't we, Sullivan? Even as lazy as he is, the dog could run circles around you, ya lazy bum!"

The axe-fighting Steve grimaced. "Aw, shuddup MacKimson…if you didn't have that mutt, I'd bet I could take you any day. Care to try your luck?" He raised his axe slightly, smirking at the Ranger/Pathfinder. Rey MacKimson grinned back.

"You're on, Yenix. Come get me with your little wood-splitter. Sit and stay, Maugrim."

The two Steves jumped to their feet and took battle stances, watching each other warily as they began their (good-natured) sparring match, but before they could trade any blows Captain Kolya and Lieutenant Branche stepped into the Entrance Hall, prompting the Steves of Aeries Company to leap to attention once more, saluting crisply. Kolya sighed as he returned the salute, obviously fed up with the military formality, but he chose to ignore it, focusing instead on getting his regiment moving.

"Alright, everyone, let's move. That village needs our help and we're gonna be there to provide! Yaltor, open the portcullis and lets get moving! We only have so much daylight, you know. Branche, move 'em out, will you?"

As Graham Yaltor sauntered over to pull the lever that would activate the pistons and open the gate, Lieutenant Tim Branche bounded forward eagerly and began directing the platoon of iron-clad Steves out of the Citadel's Main Gate with his usual exuberance, issuing a constant stream of orders and advice to each Steve, often simultaneously, as he hassled and harassed them into two parallel columns and started them marching down the path away from the Citadel. Watching his gold armored second-in-command herding the regiment out the gate, Jack Kolya chuckled slightly as he followed them, flicking the lever to close the iron portcullis behind him. As he strode quickly to the front of the small platoon, Jonathan Palermo fell into step next to him and Kolya glanced sideways at the new EnderGuard without breaking stride. In a neutral tone, he addressed the apprehensive soldier.

"What's on your mind, Palermo?"

Jonathan gulped, slightly intimidated by the captain, but he decided to ask his question anyway.

"How far away is this village, Captain? I mean, they sent a pig rider instead of someone on foot, so doesn't that mean it's too far away to walk there? And why are marching there if the village needs us so urgently?"

Jack Kolya sighed as he considered his answer.

"Minecraftia has never quite recovered from the terror Herobrine created when he turned against Notch all those years ago, Sergeant. Ever since the demon's defeat at his brother's hands, Steves have lived in peace, almost without threat, but his evil was too great to eradicate completely. Some of his…creations…still walk the land, and whenever something goes drastically wrong people panic and assume that Herobrine's remaining monsters are behind it. In a way, Herobrine won that battle against his brother as much as Notch did; he destroyed Minecraftia's sense of security and prevented us from ever having total peace because we know he still exists. He is imprisoned in the Nether, stripped of most of his power and denied escape, but he still lives, and much of his evil continues to plague Minecraftia despite his absence. When something goes as wrong as it did in this village, people get scared and tend to be over-eager in getting help from the Citadel. The village sent a pig rider because they wanted to get help as soon as possible and walking was too slow for them. It's only about a day's march away, but a rider could make it in half that time."

"So why aren't we riding there, sir? Isn't getting there faster better?"

"Usually, yes. But like I said, people panic; if Herobrine's creatures were responsible for the disappearances, then they wouldn't stay in the mines; they'd overrun the entire village and massacre everyone. Since the only problems have been underground, it's not likely that anything too dark and evil is involved. Most likely the victims got lost or stumbled off an edge, and there's not much we can do about that."

Jonathan Palermo nodded pensively at his captain's words, reassured and, in truth, slightly relieved. He felt for the villagers, but he did not relish the prospect of combat; especially in view of the rest of the regiment, all of whom he saw as great warriors.

"_I'd look stupid,_" he thought, "_they've all seen so many battles and I've never fought anyone; I just know I'd make a fool of myself, and they'd never stop thinking of me as a 'Newbie'…_". He shook his head slightly and, noticing he was beginning to lag behind, hurried to catch up and tripped over a raised block of gravel, crashing to the ground. As the rest of Aeries Company turned to look at him, Jonathan scrambled to his feet, trying to appear nonchalant, but felt his face turning red as the regiment turned away and continued their march, several of them sniggering quietly, though without malice.

The day wore on, with little to break the monotony of the march, and the Steves of Aeries company began to wander mentally as they strode along, each becoming lost in his (or her) own thoughts as the countryside passed, many gazing as they marched at clouds, or trees, or simply into space. The sun climbed peacefully through the sky and began to settle into the West, painting the clouds a faint, pleasant pink, but Captain Jack Kolya was irritated; if the village was truly only a day's march away, they should have already reached it. Grumbling to himself about irresponsible mapmakers, he began to consider calling a halt for the evening and continuing the next morning.

"_So much for 'a day's march away',_" he thought, "_Who in the hell mapped out this route? Someone needs to teach them basic distan-_"

His irritated reflections were abruptly cut short as an arrow whistled inches past his head, lodging itself with a faint thrumming in the tree behind him. Kolya reacted instantly, launching himself sideways and drawing his pale blue diamond sword as another arrow whizzed through the space he had just occupied, narrowly missing Rey MacKimson and speeding off into the distance. Hitting the ground and rolling to his feet, Captain Kolya snapped his head sharply from side to side, searching for the threat's source as yet another arrow was directed at Graham Yaltor, glancing off his iron chestplate and sending him stumbling. At this, the other Steves of Aeries Company reacted nearly as fast as their commanding officer, drawing their weapons and dodging to the side to avoid more incoming projectiles as they squinted searchingly into the forest. Covering behind trees or hills, the Steves peered into the gathering dusk, ducking occasionally as an arrow came to greet them, but as darkness descended, visibility dropped steadily. Suddenly, Rae Caceres leapt from behind a tree, drew her bow, and loosed one of her own arrows in return, and everyone watched as it sped into the darkness. As the twang of her bow faded, there was a thud and a sharp rattling of bones, testifying to her accuracy, and she quickly notched and let fly another arrow, seeking to follow up her advantage. There came again the harsh sound of arrow striking bones, and Yenix Sullivan suddenly darted from behind his hill and bounded into the forest, closely followed by Lieutenant Branche as they pursued the assailant, backed up by Caceres's arrows. The remaining soldiers gazed after them with expressions ranging from amusement to concern, and another loud clank of bones sounded from the woods, immediately followed by another, and then there was silence. As the quiet persisted, Martin Fletcher stirred uneasily and began to rummage anxiously through his stock of healing potions, earning him a disparaging look from Captain Kolya, but his concerns proved unfounded as the two combatants emerged together from the trees, moving with the silence of ghosts. As they rejoined the regiment, Branche rolled his eyes in response to the questioning looks and said simply "Skeletal Archer", prompting chuckles and calls of "is that all?" from the others, but Jonathan Palermo gazed at him with slightly widened eyes.

"_A Skeletal Archer? And all they can say is 'is that all'?! Those things are freaking terrifying! But the Lieutenant and Yenix rushed at it like it was a pig! Are they insane?_" Jonathan sighed as another thought occurred to him. "_Or maybe I'm just a coward…_"

Before he could delve too deeply into self-pity, however, his morose reveries were broken as a bark was heard from atop a nearby hill. Having wandered off the path after the fighting ended, Rey MacKimson's dog had climbed the hill and stood peering into the darkness on the other side. Looking back over his shoulder at the watching Steves, the dog barked again and Rey MacKimson scrambled up the hill after him.

"What's up, Maugrim?" he queried the canine as he drew near, and the dog barked again, looking pointedly down the hill. Cresting the hill next to the animal, Sergeant MacKimson followed his gaze into the darkness, his eyes narrowing as he searched for the source of Maugrim's interest, and he suddenly straightened up as he caught sight of it and turned back to his comrades at the base of the hill.

"Captain!" he shouted, "There's light a little ways off. I think it's the village!"

Peering appreciatively up at the Ranger/Pathfinder, Captain Jack Kolya nodded as he called back, "Does this path continue on to it, MacKimson? Or are we gonna have to do some hiking?"

"I can't really tell, Captain. I'll look again." Turning back, MacKimson squinted into the blackness at the illuminated village. As he looked harder, he began to see figures moving about in the glow of light, some wandering aimlessly while others moved quickly and with purpose. As the soldier watched, several of the wandering figures began to converge on one of the quicker-moving shapes, surrounding it and pressing in. As another of the hastily moving figures hurried over to this group, several of the slower, shambling figures dropped as though they had been struck and the quickly-moving individual continued to move toward its surrounded comrade until one of the slower figures suddenly converged with it and arrested its movement. It looked very much like some bizarre game of tag, but as the hurrying shape suddenly dropped to the ground and did not move while the shambling silhouette stood over it, Rey MacKimson suddenly realized what he was seeing, and icy dread flooded his body.

"Shit," he growled and, turning again to the regiment, he shouted "Captain! The village is under attack: zombies are coming at it in waves! They'll be over-run soon!"

Jack Kolya swore loudly as the regiment grimly tightened and arranged their gear, drawing their weapons as they looked at him for orders. Locking eyes with each of them, he drew his own sword.

"We're the only ones for miles, ladies and gentlemen. That village won't last long, so lets go teach those dead-heads a lesson!"

A great cheer went up from Aeries Company as they swarmed up the hill and dashed eagerly across the plains, speeding toward the beleaguered village like pale thunderbolts as they drew back their weapons, preparing to strike. Running at the rear of the regiment, Jonathan Palermo's iron sword shook in his hand as he charged, but he held on grimly, his jaw set in determination despite his fear.

"_It's just zombies,_" he told himself, "_they're slow and clumsy; we'll clear them out in no time! And finally, here's my chance to prove my worth!_ _I'll cut 'em down like grass!_"

Aeries Company swept into the village like a tidal wave, mowing down the zombies at the entrance as they plowed through, and once they gained entrance they began to separate, each Steve moving away to fight in his (or her) own fashion. Yenix Sullivan and Graham Yaltor bowled through the horde like pistons, annihilating any undead that stood in their way, Rae Caceres leapt lightly onto a nearby roof and began rapidly picking off foes with the speed and accuracy borne of long practice, and Rey MacKimson and Maugrim moved smoothly through the horde, displaying a wonderful mix of artful swordsmanship and terrifying ferocity as they downed zombie after zombie, never seeming to break a sweat. A short distance away, the Captain and the Lieutenant stood back-to-back, turning in a slow circle as they sliced apart any zombie who got close, their blades dancing in a fury of gold and blue blurs. Dashing into the village slightly behind everyone else, Jonathan Palermo stopped and stared in amazement at the melee raging before him. Standing awestruck, he paid no attention to his surroundings until a loud rattling groan sounded close behind him. Whirling around and dropping instinctively into a crouch, Jonathan slashed his sword through the air and the zombie collapsed to the ground, its head neatly separated from its body. Jonathan stared down in amazement, feeling a warm glow of pride flood through him. "_I did it_/_" _he though excitedly,_ "I actually killed one! By myself!_"

"Well done, Palermo!"

Looking over to see who had shouted, Jonathan beheld Captain Kolya beaming at him while the diamond armored Steve hacked at an approaching zombie, and Jonathan quickly grinned back as the captain turned away to face another foe. Feeling invincible, Jonathan strode through the village, which was rapidly becoming zombie-free, and found Martin Fletcher consoling a frightened young boy and girl in a house across the path. As he made his way over to the house, an arrow suddenly whizzed past Jonathan's ear and his head snapped around to follow its flight as it lodged itself in the head of a zombie that had nearly grabbed him. Blinking in astonishment, he looked back along the arrow's path and found Rae Caceres perched atop a nearby roof, watching him with an expression of mingled amusement and exasperation.

"Watch out for yourself, will you, Palermo?" she shouted, turning away as she notched and fired another arrow into the dwindling horde of zombies. Still slightly stunned, Jonathan shook himself and entered the house, heading toward the corner where Sergeant Fletcher was ensconced with the children. As he approached, a board creaked beneath his iron boots and Martin Fletcher shot to his feet, whipping around and drawing a splash potion of harming from his bag, grimly holding it ready to throw. Recognizing Jonathan, the Steve lowered his arm and relief flickered briefly across his face before he again turned, preoccupied, to the children. Blinking again in surprise, Jonathan strode to the medic's side and gazed down at the frightened children.  
"Are they alright?" he asked.

Fletcher nodded. "They are, but they were separated from their parents when the attack began and they don't know where they are."

"I hope they're all right," Jonathan murmured quietly, looking with renewed sympathy at the kids.

At his words, the little boy suddenly piped up, gazing at the iron armored Steve with somber eyes.

"Don't worry, sir, they are. Mom and Dad are really good at hunting, so they have to have found a hiding place." Despite his conviction, uncertainty crept into his eyes, and he added

"Right mister?"

Jonathan swallowed hard as he looked at the little boy, and glancing again at the medic, he replied "Right", before turning and hastily leaving the house. Shutting the door behind him, Jonathan gazed around the village and found the others mopping up the last of the zombies as the Captain and the Lieutenant spoke with a cluster of grateful villagers. Glancing away from those around him, Jack Kolya swept the area with his eyes, counting the members of his regiment and coming up with seven. Looking again, carefully, and still only counting seven, he raised his voice and called out

"Where's Fletcher? Anyone seen Fletcher?"

Rae Caceres and Rey MacKimson glanced at each other and back at him blankly, and Yenix Sullivan and Graham Yaltor shrugged, but Jonathan stepped forward.

"Uh, he's in the house sir. Um, with children. Com-comforting them. You know."

He felt himself blushing again as he stammered at the captain, but Jack Kolya simply nodded seriously and turned back to the villagers as one elderly Steve anxiously tugged at his armor and croaked out a few words in a hoarse voice. Bending his ear closer to the elder, the captain strove to make out the faint words, but he could not quite hear them. Whatever the old Steve said, however, caused the other villagers to gasp and gaze at him in horror, backing away slowly. Frowning at the retreating Steves, Lieutenant Branche stepped forward brusquely.

"What? What did he say?" he demanded irritably, staring impatiently around the dread-stricken villagers.

One Steve, clad in leather armor, stepped forward from the others, gazing about him with apprehension and fear. Almost whispering, he imparted the reason for their terror.

"He said that this attack was the doing of Herobrine. He says that the demon has returned through our mine to the Overworld and that he saw the monster appear from the darkness!"

Captain Kolya and Aeries Company stared at the speaker, shocked by his claims.

After a long, stricken silence, someone finally spoke out.

"That's nuts," cried Yenix Sullivan, "Herobrine is imprisoned in the Nether! He can't have escap-"

The axe-fighter's protests were suddenly cut short as a loud, menacing hiss suddenly issued from the darkness around the village.


End file.
